Creamy White Lasagna Recipe (2024)

Published: Dec 6, 2023 by Amanda · This post may contain affiliate links · This blog generates income via ads

This creamy white lasagna with spinach and mushrooms is one of the best vegetarian lasagna recipes. A creamy white béchamel sauce is layered with lasagna noodles and seasoned ricotta cheese mixture with spinach and mushrooms. The perfect homemade lasagna for Christmas Eve!

White sauce lasagna uses a creamy béchamel sauce instead of the typical marinara used in a classic Italian lasagna. My version of white lasagna is the ultimate comfort food! It includes sautéed mushrooms and fresh spinach, for a delicious earthy flavor.

This creamy white lasagna recipe would be excellent for your holiday celebrations. Serve with Italian seafood salad, eggplant parmesan, and Italian struffoli.

🧀 Ingredient notes

• Pasta - No boil or oven ready lasagna noodles make this dish simple. For extra special occasions, use homemade fresh pasta. I find that oven-ready noodles or fresh pasta hold up the best for lasagna. If you aren't able to get oven ready noodles, make sure you cook the pasta until al dente so they don't get too mushy. Fresh lasagna sheets don't need to be cooked ahead of time. There is enough liquid in the sauce and cheese mixture to cook them while baking.
• Sauce - The creamy white sauce used for this lasagna recipe is a béchamel sauce. A béchamel is a sauce that starts with fat and flour, also called a roux, and is thickened with milk or cream. The sauce is then flavored with nutmeg and parmesan cheese, to make a thick and creamy cheese sauce.The sauce can be substituted for 6 cups of store-bought alfredo sauce, if needed.
• Cheese - Three kinds of Italian cheeses are used in this vegetarian lasagna recipe: Shredded mozzarella cheese, ricotta, and parmesan. Fontina, asiago, or pecorino romano cheese could also be added for extra flavor and cheesiness!
• Vegetables - The spinach and mushrooms can be eliminated if needed. Use other grilled or sauteed vegetables, such as broccolini, asparagus, or artichoke hearts.

📋 Substitutions and variations

• Gluten-Free - Use a gluten-free flour substitute for the sauce and gluten-free noodles.
• Red Sauce - If you prefer a red sauce for your lasagna, you can substitute the bechamel with my Italian gravy or mix half white sauce and half red sauce.

🔪Step by step instructions

Melt butter for the sauce and then saute the garlic for a minute. Sprinkle in the flour to make the roux and then whisk in the half and half and milk.

Let the sauce simmer to thicken and then stir in the parmesan, ground nutmeg, kosher salt, and black pepper.

Saute the sliced mushrooms in olive oil over medium heat and then add the garlic and baby spinach. Cook until the spinach wilts and then set it aside to cool for a bit.

Mix together the ricotta cheese with the parmesan cheese, eggs, salt, and pepper. Add in the mushrooms and spinach mixture and stir to combine.

To assemble the lasagna, grease a 9x13 casserole dish with olive oil. Spread one or two cups of the white sauce on the bottom and then add 3 of the noodles. Spread about one-third of the ricotta mixture over the noodles.

Sprinkle on about one third of the mozzarella cheese and parmesan cheese. Pour half of the remaining creamy sauce over the cheese. Repeat with another layer of noodles, another third of the ricotta mixture, and another third of both the mozzarella cheese and parmesan.

Add the rest of the white sauce and then finish with the last layer of noodles, the remaining ricotta cheese, and the remaining mozzarella cheese and parmesan cheese.

Cover the dish with aluminum foil and bake for 50 minutes in a preheated 375˚ oven. Remove the foil and bake for 10 more minutes to brown the top. Let the lasagna sit for at least 15 minutes to cool, then slice and serve.

⭐ Expert tips

• Let the sauce only simmer, not boil. If it gets too hot, it can separate.
• Make sure to set the mushrooms and spinach aside for a bit while you start the ricotta cheese mixtures. If it's too hot, it will melt the cheese and make the filling runny.
• Don't cut the lasagna immediately out of the oven. It needs at least 15 minutes to set or it will fall apart.
• If you like the cheese extra browned on top, turn on the broiler for the last minute or two.

⏲️ Make ahead and storage instructions

White Lasagna is perfect for making ahead of time. Here are a few different ways to prep the ingredients and dish in advance.

INGREDIENTS - Prep the ricotta mixture, sauce, and cheese up to 3 days ahead of time. Cool and place in airtight containers and store in the refrigerator. Heat the sauce up on the stovetop or in the microwave to make it easier to pour.

FRIDGE - Fully assemble up until cooking time and wrap in plastic wrap. Store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and then remove from the refrigerator 30-60 minutes before cooking time. Bake as directed.

FREEZER - To freeze, tightly wrap the dish in plastic and then cover it in foil and freeze for up to 2 months. Fully defrost the lasagna in the refrigerator and then remove to room temperature 30-60 minutes before cooking time. Bake as directed.

LEFTOVERS - Keep cooled leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-5 days. Reheat in the microwave or oven until warmed through.

🍝 More hearty Italian pasta recipes

If you loved this creamy white sauce lasagna recipe, check out these other hearty Italian pasta recipes that I know you will love too!

• Tortellini alla Panna
• Baked Mostaccioli con Ricotta
• Homemade Italian Manicotti with Crepes
• Baked Chicken and Broccoli Alfredo

📖 Recipe